Angel of the Shadows
by Tigergirl
Summary: A new talent makes a short appearance at NXT before being launched to the main roster. She's turning heads but making enemies that don't think she belongs in the ring. Follow Casey's journey as she finds herself allied with The Shield.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Angel of the Shadows

**Author: **Tigergirl

**Rated: **M (for safety)

**Category: **Misc. – Wrestling

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except the Original Characters that pop up.**

**Summary: **A new talent makes a short appearance at NXT before being launched to the main roster. She's turning heads but making enemies that don't think she belongs in the ring. Follow Casey's journey as she finds herself allied with The Shield.

**Warnings:**

Things not in my story:

Roman's leukemia did not return and he retained the championship

Ambrose and Rollins are tag team champs

Ambrose didn't turn on his brothers and he _did_ _not_ _leave_

All wrestlers names, those are their real names

Rhonda Rousey is not in WWE.

**Author's Note: This story was inspired by a dream and, like most of my story ideas, I couldn't get this one out of my head. This dream came to me over a year ago. As fair warning, up until now, my fanfiction writing has been limited to Yu-Gi-Oh, Harry Potter, Ronin Warriors, and Supernatural.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**NEW TALENT**

_Welcome to NXT! Coming at you from Full Sail University!_

The door clicked loudly before opening and in walked a tall, but exhausted wrestler. He glanced around the room before his eyes fell on his companion.

"Dude, _what_ are you eating?" he demanded.

His best friend and brother turned to grin at him.

"Pineapple and pepperoni pizza," he answered.

Seth cursed while shaking his head.

"Ambrose, if you didn't order a regular pepperoni, I'm going right back out that door and bunking with Reigns for the night," Seth told him.

As he turned his head back to the television, Dean jerked his thumb over his shoulder. Two pizza boxes sat on a desk next to a two liter of Pepsi. Seth sighed with relief. Good old Dean Ambrose. Seth put his things off to the side. He darted through the gap between Ambrose and the television, narrowly missing a swing at his leg.

Seth grabbed up a paper plate and popped open the first box. He immediately snapped it shut before flipping open the other. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Why have you got that on? The game started five minutes ago," Seth said.

Dean chuckled.

"I heard someone new is debuting tonight," Dean said.

Seth rolled his eyes. He plopped down on the end of his bed.

"Someone is always debuting," Seth replied.

Dean shrugged as he got up and retrieved two more slices for himself. Seth screwed his face up as Dean walked past him again.

"I don't know _how_ you can eat that," Seth commented.

Dean shrugged again. They had this argument about every other week. He turned back to the television.

"Fuck! That asshole Ciampa again. I can't wait for someone to hand his ass to him," Dean commented, shaking his head.

Seth shook his head.

"Black has another shot at it after Gargano screwed him over on that last match. Let's hope he can do the job," Seth said.

Dean nodded in agreement.

"Have you ever met the asshole?" Head shake. "He is a grade A plus asshole. I mean if you put all the assholes of the world in one building, _he_ would be the King."

Seth chuckled. Suddenly, both turned their heads back to the television.

Unfamiliar entrance music played loudly. The backboard had storm clouds. The sounds were of a rainstorm as small flashes of light flashed across the screen from behind clouds. The guitar entrance music to Wanted Dead or Alive started playing up as a figure walked out from the side.

It was a short wrestler dressed in regular street clothes. The name _Casey Malloy_ lit up in the clouds. The light caught the wrestler's face.

"It's a chick!" Dean exclaimed.

Seth shot him an annoyed look. Dean knew The Look was there, but he ignored it.

The short brunette worn dark blue jeans with a jean jacket and gray hood attached. Her hood was up, but it didn't quite hide her face or the short braid thrown over a shoulder. When she got down to the ring, she threw her hood back and swung herself in under the bottom rope. To the camera, she stood up on the bottom rope and leaned over the top rope with her arms crossed. She looked bored for a second before giving a small smirk and jumping back off the ropes.

The crowd was chanting "CA-SEY! CA-SEY!" Along with the chant, part of their crowd was making weird gestures with their hands. The hand would start shaped like a C, move back, and move forward again, changing the shape to form a Y with the thumb and pinky sticking out to the sides.

"_The following contest is scheduled for one fall. [ONE FALL!] Introducing first, from Greenville, North Carolina, Casey Malloy!_"

The crowd cheered louder as Casey did a two-finger salute before strolling over to one of the corners. She leaned against the turnbuckles with her legs crossed in front of her. She didn't look anywhere in particular as her opponent came out. As Dakota Kai came into the ring, Casey pushed off the turnbuckles and took off her jacket to throw it off to the side.

Similar to Nikki Cross, she wore a black and gray tank top with the length coming down to the top of her jeans. The jacket had been big on her, revealing a petite figure. Squaring up to Dakota Kai, it showed Dakota Kai had a few inches in height over her. Casey turned her head to look at the referee. She waited until the referee signaled for the start to turn her gaze back to her opponent.

"Five bucks says Kai takes her in under five minutes," Dean said.

"I'll take that bet."

Seth and Dean jumped nearly out of their skin. They jerked their heads to the side to find Roman standing on the other side of Dean's bed.

"Dude, when the Hell did you get here?" Dean asked.

Roman smirked.

"Right about the time Malloy's music came on," Roman replied.

Seth frowned. "You know her?"

Roman shrugged. "Seen her around the gym a couple'a times."

The three turned their attention back to the television. They found the two women grappling with Dakota pushed into a corner. The referee gave the warning and Casey backed off. They exchanged several blows back and forth.

Suddenly, Casey ran to the ropes and bounced off. Dakota Kai caught her and spun her around with Casey's legs swung around her neck as they spun around. They watched in astonishment as Casey hooked one leg over Dakota's head and another leg down between her legs & hooked around the back of her knee. One arm was bent painfully over Casey's back and the other was forced back hard in a strong hold with Casey holding back hard.

In a matter of seconds, Dakota Kai was tapping out. Their jaws dropped open. The announcers were just as astonished.

"_Casey Malloy just got the submission! Using the Black Widow!_"

"_That move is right out of AJ Lee's playbook! We haven't seen that move pulled off in years! It takes a lotta work to contort your body in such a way. It takes a special kind of wrestler to try that kind of move._"

"_The winner, by submission, CA-SEY MA-LLOY!"_

Roman chuckled. His two best friends and brothers looked at him.

"I thought that might be what she was practicing with the trainers. I hear she's the only one that can pull the move off," Roman commented.

He stepped around the beds and over to the pizza.

"Not the left," Seth warned him.

Roman nodded before flipping open the box on the right. Dean changed the channel to the game, earning him a grin from Seth. Dean turned to face Roman who leaned against the desk while eating his pizza.

"What did they mean by specialkind'a wrestler?" Dean asked.

"She's Deaf."

Seth's head snapped to the side.

"What? You mean she can't hear _anything_?" Seth asked.

Roman shrugged.

"Far as I know. The trainers had an interpreter with them."

"Interesting."

/…/

Casey wandered down the hallways, passing other NXT stars as she went. She didn't pay any of them mind. She was stopped by a woman dressed completely in black.

[Mr. Regal wants to see you.]

Casey watched her hands carefully as she signed her message. Casey nodded when she was done.

[Fine. Let's go.]

Casey and her interpreter navigated the halls to where the General Manager's office was. When they went in, William Regal stood up with a big smile on his face. He reached across his desk to shake hands with Casey. He waited to speak until the interpreter rounded around Casey to stand next to him.

"That was a wonderful match, Casey," he congratulated her.

Casey's eyes darted between the interpreter and Mr. Regal. She smiled in gratitude at him.

"I wanted to let you know I heard one of the McMahon's caught your match. I'm not sure which one, but I heard they were impressed with what they saw," Mr. Regal explained.

Casey's eyebrows flew up. She had participated in a few dark matches, but this had been the first regular match.

[Really?] Casey signed.

When she signed, the interpreter spoke out loud for her. Mr. Regal turned and smiled gratefully at the interpreter before refacing the wrestler.

"Yes, yes, very impressive. I would like to put you in a big match next week. I want to put you up against Bianca Belair. She _is_ undefeated, but I think you'll be up to the challenge," Mr. Regal told her.

Casey nodded.

[Set the match. I'll be ready.]

Casey left the General Manager's office in even higher spirits than before. She sighed as she grabbed some dinner from the catering. She found a quiet corner away from the other tables. The quiet brunette sat down with a leg looped underneath her with the ankle resting under the knee.

As she ate, Casey was constantly scanning the room. She would occasionally stop on a person, focusing more intently on them to read some of what they were saying by lipreading.

_Yes. Yes! I said yes, didn't I?_

_What? Why?_

_I won! I won!_

If she was closer and interacting with the people, she might have caught more of the conversations. Turning her attention elsewhere, Casey started thinking of a game plan to prepare for her match next week. She had her head down when someone smacked the table hard. She calmly lifted her head to find Bianca Belair standing over her.

The woman looked down at her with a look of disdain.

_I am UN-DE-FEA-TED. And after next week, I'm going to stay UN-DE-FEA-TED._

It was hard to understand Belair. She broke up the word in pieces like a typical hearing person trying to speak to a person they just learned was Deaf. Luckily, she knew Belair's favorite saying so she was able to piece it together. Casey didn't bother answering as Belair spun around and left.

Most of the NXT stars forgot about her deafness, but she preferred things that way. She had worked hard to get where she was today and she wouldn't waste the opportunities that came.

_Bring it on, Belair_, Casey thought.

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

**NEW TALENT**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**ONE MATCH AT A TIME**

The following week, Casey arrived much earlier than everyone else. She toured the facility while mentally preparing herself for the match she had been physically preparing for. She met with her interpreter and was informed of the night's schedule.

Her match was to be the second match of the night. The first match was a tag team match. She didn't have too long to dally with preparing. She put away her wallet, money, and cell phone in her locker space. The young brunette changed into her wrestling attire, minus her jacket. She carefully pulled on her fingerless gloves before donning her jacket.

When she caught sight of the time, Casey made her way to where she had told the interpreter to meet her. Glancing out from the side, Casey could see Bianca strutting about the ring. She pulled her hood up and glanced to her side. The interpreter, who stood out of the way, signaled to her when her music began.

Taking a deep breath, Casey strode out across the walkway. Turning her head from the lit up board behind her, Casey took in all the hands she saw signing C and Y. Without seeing their lips moving, she knew they were chanting "Casey! Casey!". Her gaze shifted to her opponent as she came down to the ring. Belair had that smug look that contorted her face into an ugly look.

Casey carefully rolled under the bottom ring, throwing the hood back as she stood. Sparing her opponent another glance, Casey walked over to the ropes. She jumped up to balance herself on the bottom rope while crossing her arms on the top rope. She looked out at the faces of the NXT crowd.

She flashed them a smirk before bouncing back off the ropes. Casey took her jacket off and tossed it out under the bottom rope. While keeping an eye on Bianca, Casey watched the referee for the signal. The bell clang loudly through the arena. It didn't take long for Bianca to strike.

They grappled back and forth, pushing hard at one another until Casey was up against a turnbuckle. The ref started counting before pulling on Belair. She put her hands up while backing up. Casey saw the swing before it happened. She somersaulted across the mat and under the flying slap.

This action caused Bianca to jerk around with her back planting against the turnbuckle. Casey flew to her feet. She got in several good kicks before the referee was pulling her away. Waiting for Bianca to come out of the corner, Casey spun around, darted forward, and bounced off the ropes.

Bianca dropped down, allowing Casey to skip over her. She made a split decision as she bounced back off the ropes. Bianca jumped up, trying to clear her from above. Except Casey caught her with a spear. She immediately pinned her body over hers, lifting a leg up to aid her.

"**1…2…**"

Bianca kicked out, flinging Casey off her. Casey sprung back to her feet and the match continued.

Casey had been watching the whole match for it. She saw it in Belair's face when she decided. When the braid whipped through the air, Casey was more than ready for it. She ducked under the braid, sliding on her knees to avoid the hit. Once behind Belair, Casey swept around and hit a chop block to the back of Belair's knee.

"_Oh my God, did you see that?! Malloy avoided the hit and came down and around like a silent assassin!"_

"_Belair never saw it coming! The WWE Universe never saw it coming! __**I **__never saw it coming!"_

Their match went on for more than anyone thought it would. Casey might have had a better chance if she had managed to try The Black Widow. Unfortunately, Bianca got in a good hit and she was pinned. As she left the ring, Casey left with her head held high. She knew Bianca's music would be playing, but she couldn't help but notice she saw more hands signing C-Y than before.

Once back behind the scenes, Casey breezed by her interpreter. The interpreter turned and followed after her. It was a moment later that Bianca darted past her, jerked around, and made a sudden stop in front of her. The interpreter stepped up beside Casey, voice interpreting as Casey signed.

[What do you want?] Casey asked.

Bianca looked at Casey then the interpreter.

"Tell her she did a pretty good job. I actually broke a sweat out there," Bianca said.

Rolling her eyes, Casey turned to her interpreter to see what the EST of NXT wanted. She rolled her eyes again at the other wrestler's words. She turned back to Bianca to give her reply.

[I appreciate that. It's a compliment, I'm sure, coming from a veteran. But next time, talk to _me._ My interpreter is here to help you understand what I am saying and help me with what you say.]

Bianca's ego deflated a little as Casey told her her mistake. She walked away in a huff. Casey waved goodbye to her before turning away again. She came across a few wrestlers in the hall, most choosing to ignore her. However, she was stopped by The Velveteen Dream. The interpreter stood off to the side between them as Velveteen addressed Casey.

"The Dream saw your match. The Dream believes you have potential to be one of the greats," he said.

Casey smiled.

[Thank you and Happy Birthday.]

Velveteen was momentarily startled and fell out of character. He snapped back a second later.

"The Dream appreciates the birthday wish," he told her.

Casey nodded before moving on. Her and the interpreter started heading back to catering, but got detoured when a stagehand told her Mr. Regal wanted to see her again. Casey wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it definitely wasn't to find herself meeting with William Regal and Shane McMahon.

_Holy shit, I'm in the same room as Shane O'Mac. Calm, calm. Stay calm, _Casey thought.

There was a twinkle in Regal's eye that told her he knew what she was thinking.

"Casey, I would like to introduce you to Shane McMahon. It seems he caught your match last week and the one tonight," Regal introduced.

Casey's hand felt small in the embrace of Shane's. She had to mentally scream at her knees not to visibly shake.

"It's wonderful to meet such a talented wrestler. I wish I could have seen you use The Black Widow again tonight," Shane said.

[Next time] Casey said.

Shane nodded with a deep chuckle.

"I believe it. We're making some moves soon and we'll be calling some people up to the main roster. I know you're new to the NXT scene, but I like you. You got a spark to you. I'm gonna keep an eye on you over the next few weeks," Shane said.

They shared a few more words before Casey was dismissed. Too jittery to eat, Casey left the building early. She went to the gym where she worked out for a couple of hours. After the gym, she grabbed a quick bite to eat and returned to her hotel room.

She took a long, hot shower. The night's events caught up to her, leaving her exhausted and sore down to the bone. When she finally crawled into bed, Casey was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

**ONE MATCH AT A TIME**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

**A NEW FAN**

It had been three weeks since Casey had met Shane McMahon. A few people had been named for the move up from NXT. Casey had heard the main roster was getting Nikki Cross (good luck with that one, boys), EC3 (more ego to deal with), Lacey Evans (_wonderful_), and Heavy Machinery (interesting choice).

In those three weeks, she had been in a match with a jobber, Vanessa Borne, and Candice LeRae. She had won against the jobber and Borne, but the match with LeRae had been a double count out. Out of the three, LeRae had given her the best match. They had shaken hands behind the scenes later.

Over the weeks, Casey had even earned herself a nickname in her short time with NXT. The commentators had started it and the NXT crowd loved it. She had mixed feelings. She knew the reasoning behind the nickname. She just didn't think it was the best of nicknames.

Kairi Sane was the Pirate Princess. Shayna Baszler was the Queen of Spades. Bianca Belair was the EST of NXT. Her, Casey Malloy, was the Angel of the Shadows. She had earned the moniker for her quick movements and ability to sneak up on her opponents. Like an angel fading in and out of the shadows.

Casey supposed she could have been given worse. At least she wasn't dubbed another Princess. The last person that called her that had been gifted a black eye. Little Tommy Williamson in Third Grade had it coming to him.

Tonight she wasn't scheduled for a match so Mr. Regal had told her she didn't need to show. That was fine by her. None of the other women would talk to her and the few guys that talked with her had big matches for the night. She had a late dinner at a local diner before heading for the gym.

She did basic exercises, lifted a few weights, and ran on the treadmill. She took a long shower in the women's locker room and changed into the clothes she brought. By the time, she left the gym, it was close to midnight. There were barely any cars out on the roads.

She pulled up to a quiet intersection with one other car sitting across the road from her. It was a small car with its left turn signal blinking brightly at her. Casey sat back and waited as the cross traffic's light shifted to red and the car's turn lane got the green.

She wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Just as the car was crossing the lanes in front of her and starting to turn, a truck barreled through the red from the left. The car slammed on its brakes but got clipped in the front. The car spun around as the truck sped off. Casey put her car in drive, slammed on her emergency flashers, and darted out of her car.

She found a frantic woman on her cell phone. Casey couldn't see what the woman was saying, but she leaned through her open window and pulled Casey close.

"Please get my daughter."

Casey caught the majority of the message and glanced to the backseat. A small child was looking around confused. Casey opened the backdoor, unhooked the car seat, and took the child out. The little girl blinked at Casey before breaking out in a big grin. She walked the child over to her car and sat on the hood with her. The street was more lit above her car.

"What is your name?" Casey asked.

The little girl giggled.

"Maggie! Why does your voice sound funny?"

Casey rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'm Deaf. I can't hear my voice," Casey replied.

Maggie lit up.

"Henry is Deaf. He has things in his ears!" Maggie said, tapping her ears with her hands.

Casey smiled. While the two spent time together, the police arrived with the ambulance. The paramedics helped the mother out before walking over to give Maggie a once over. While they checked on her, Casey wrote down her witness statement. The police were happy she had gotten a license plate and knew her vehicles well with giving them the type of truck that crashed the car.

The mother walked over when Casey and Maggie were coloring in a coloring book together from the car. Casey had her phone out with her caption app running, allowing her to understand her as she spoke.

"Thank you for your help. My daughter and I were just coming back from visiting family. We normally wouldn't be out this late. I'm Charlene," she said, reaching her hand out.

Casey shook it and replied in the same. Maggie slid down off the car with Casey's help.

"Mommy, Mommy! Casey is Deaf! Just like Henry!"

Casey grew confused when Charlene looked at her again but with a more focused gaze. Suddenly, her whole face lit up. She gently smacked herself in the forehead.

"_Now _I know why you look familiar. My brother-in-law, he's a huge fan of WWE. He was catching up on some episodes he recorded. You were on one of them!" Charlene exclaimed.

Casey grinned with the nod of her head. As a favor to the family, she pulled out a picture and autographed it for them. By that time, someone from the newspaper had arrived and asked for a picture.

Casey was shocked the next morning to find the article had been picked up from the local paper and gone viral.

**NXT STAR HELPS OUT AT VEHICULAR ACCIDENT**

**CASEY MALLOY WITNESS TO HIT AND RUN**

**DEAF WRESTLER COMFORTS CHILD IN ACCIDENT**

The next day was insane. She had to jump between answering text messages from her brother Zachary and William Regal. Her brother was checking up on her and making sure everything was okay with her. She reassured him she was fine.

The next episode of NXT wasn't far from her current location so a statement was released with some variation of WWE wrestlers doing their part in helping the community. The family was invited to the next show which they graciously accepted. William Regal gave her a main event match against Kairi Sane. She changed up her entrance slightly by swinging by the front to hug Maggie before rolling into the ring.

It was a wonderful match. Truly one of the best matches she had ever had.

**END OF CHAPTER THREE**

**A/N: Okay, people. I'm curious to hear what you think of the story. I'm actually already up to Chapter Seven but I wanted to post the first three to see what people thought. Can't wait for the feedback. And anyone who leaves a flame, it will be put to good use. I'd like to make smores.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay! Only been a day and I had 48 views, 3 followers, 2 favorites, and a review. I'd say that's off to a good start.**

**CHARMED2011:** Glad you liked the first chapters. Don't worry. Time will come for her to meet The Shield. Here's an update!

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Like the other NXT stars being called up, Casey was set to bounce between the shows until a final bid was made for her contract. She first was filmed in a behind the scenes moment on Smackdown Live. The camera caught her doing random stretches. The other women shot her looks, but none came anywhere near her.

However, she was approached by some of the guys. The New Day randomly slapped some pancakes into her hands with big smiles and hugs for her. R-Truth shook her hand wildly and talked really loud. He was friendly enough so Casey didn't take any offense to his typical hearing person reaction to knowing she was Deaf.

She finally did remove her phone from her pocket and wrote up a text.

[Talk normal. My phone does speech to text on an app.]

R-Truth's mouth formed a big Oh and waited until she was ready.

"How are you liking things here on Smackdown Live?" R-Truth asked.

Casey shrugged. R-Truth nodded.

"First day, got it! Hey, hey, hey, I been wantin' to ask you a question," R-Truth said.

Casey raised an eyebrow in a tell-tale sign for him to continue.

"What's it like being Deaf?" R-Truth questioned.

In all her years, Casey had never been asked that type of question. Oh sure, she had thought it over herself, but no one had ever bothered to ask her. It took her some time to type out her answer and turn her phone back around to the other wrestler.

[I was born Deaf. It's all I've ever known. I depend on my eyes to be my ears.]

R-Truth smiled while shaking his head.

"Well, that don't sound too bad to me. I'm sure glad you shared that with me. It was nice chattin' with ya."

Casey thought the same thing when they parted ways. Her first night on Raw, unfortunately, didn't go as well. It started with her no-show interpreter. It was later that she found out Stephanie had purposely not requested an interpreter for her. She had never been more pissed off in all her life.

She was fortunate the cameras were off when she stormed in on Stephanie and Shane McMahon talking. Stephanie stared at her with huge eyes while Shane looked confused. It only took a second for Stephanie's expression to change.

"How dare you barge in here? Get out!" Stephanie demanded.

Sneering, Casey shoved her phone into Stephanie's face. Shane snatched it before Stephanie could. He read the message aloud.

"_I came here for answers before I contacted my lawyer. My contract specifically states that the Commissioner of the Brand ensures I have a certified interpreter present at every show I am at, whether I'm involved in a match or not,_" Shane read.

He rolled his eyes to his sister. She glared at him before turning her attention to the shorter woman.

"You seem to be communicating just fine from what I've seen around behind the scenes. Why do you _want_ an interpreter?" Stephanie demanded.

Shane nearly faceplanted as Casey snatched her phone back. This time, she had the text read aloud.

[You are breaking my contract. The interpreter is there to facilitate communication. The interpreter is there because YOU do not understand sign language. This is MY first and last warning. My interpreter is non-negotiable.]

Shane was quick to step between a gob smacked Stephanie and a pissed off Casey. Casey watched his lips carefully, reading nearly every word that came out of his mouth.

"We _are_ sorry for the miscommunication. From now on, we will _always_ have an interpreter assigned. We'll also have a back-up interpreter in case your interpreter cancels for whatever reason."

Casey nodded firmly. She brought her palm up, touching her fingertips to the front of her chin. She moved the flat hand out in a firm jerk.

[Thank you.]

Casey spun around and stormed away. Shane let out a big sigh of relief before turning around to face his sister. She opened her mouth to let him have it, but Shane beat her to the punch.

"I'm not going to even explain the size of the lawsuit we just avoided. What were you thinking?! It's **in** her contract. Oh wait. I doubt you read the damn thing," Shane said.

Stephanie's mouth clicked shut. She couldn't deny it. She had meant to read the contract, but hadn't.

"I can read the headlines now. _WWE denies Deaf wrestler access to an interpreter_. Public opinion of us will drop so low we'll spend the next decade just trying to make even! _Read_ the contract, Sis, and read the law."

Casey stormed past a group of women who glanced at her, but did nothing to stop her. As she turned around a corner, she bumped into a woman that shockingly was about the same height as her. She didn't understand a word of what the woman said to her. Given the infuriated look on her face, it wasn't anything good.

With the powerful roll of her eyes, Casey pushed past her. That night, when she sat alone in her hotel room, Casey had lost some of her temper but not all. When she had first been discovered and brought into the fold, she had made it clear about her interpreter demands. It had been rocky at first with William Regal unsure of where to find one. Casey had been all too happy to help with him everything.

She had a feeling she wouldn't like working under Stephanie McMahon if she were to go to Raw. She was broken out of her thoughts when her phone rattled across the table nearby. Casey pushed herself up and snatched it up. It was a message from Shane McMahon.

**Shane**

[You have a match next week on Smackdown Live against Mandy Rose. Be ready.]

**Casey**

[I will be. Thank you for the opportunity.]

Now fired up, Casey knew she wasn't getting sleep any time soon. She changed into some good gym clothes and her gloves. It was after eleven when she left for the gym. There was only one or two other people at the gym, but they left shortly after she started.

She started on the treadmill before moving over to the weights. After a short break, Casey climbed into the practice ring. She practiced bouncing off the ropes before sparring with herself. Unknown to her, someone watched her from the side before approaching the ring.

Sensing someone was nearby, Casey shifted and threw a superkick in the direction of the newcomer. As her leg lowered, she found Dean Ambrose looking up through the ropes. She raised an eyebrow at him and spread her arms out in front of her. He threw her a small smirk before holding up the pads he had at his side. Casey nodded and he rolled in under the bottom rope.

The two worked together for the next hour. Dean had the pads covering his hands as Casey took in a few punches. After they were done with the pads, Casey lightly sparred with him. They both knew she wasn't going to go full frontal assault on him. Through gesturing, Dean showed her tips on some of the moves she needed work on. He even showed her his signature move, Dirty Deeds.

Casey quirked an eyebrow at him in surprise. Dean shrugged.

"Never know when ya need to pull somethin' outta that bag o' tricks and surprise 'em," Dean told her.

Casey smirked. She held her hand out. He didn't hesitate to grab it and shook her hand firmly. They climbed out of the ring. They were leaving the gym when Dean suggested they get some breakfast. After all, he could see the stirrings of a sunrise in the distance.

He realized his mistake when she unintentionally ignored him. Snatching her elbow, Dean regained her attention. He opened his mouth and pointed in it. Casey snorted, following up with a small chuckle. She brought her hand up and closed it with her thumb hooked the under fingers and the fingers all touching. She tapped the fingers against her mouth as if eating something with a questioning raise of her eyebrows.

Dean pointed to her before tapping his nose. Casey nodded in understanding. They ended up grabbing a quick bite to eat at a nearby diner. Once back at the hotel everyone was staying at, they split ways. Dean was coming out of the shower when Seth returned from breakfast downstairs.

"Dude, where were you? I woke up around two and you weren't here," Seth said.

Dean shrugged. Seth sighed.

"Couldn't sleep again?"

Dean shrugged again.

"I went to the gym. Had a good workout and caught a bite to eat," Dean replied.

Seth sighed as he moved over to his bag.

"You can try sleeping in the car. I'll drive today," Seth told him.

Dean nodded as he moved to pack his things away.

/…/

Dean made himself comfortable in front of the screen. He watched Mandy Rose's music come on. She walked out accompanied by her usual partner Sonya Deville. He knew Mandy wasn't a pushover, but he also knew Deville could play a factor. He was curious to see just how good Casey could be.

Storm clouds appeared with lightning streaking across the screen. Guitar music cued up, sparking Casey's entrance. Dean watched as she went through her usual entrance.

"_She's here. The Angel of the Shadows, Casey Malloy!_"

"_That's right. Casey Malloy is one of the newest NXT stars to be called up, following a short stint in NXT._"

"_Shut up, Byron. You're ignoring God's greatest creation!_"

Dean rolled his eyes.

Casey leaned against the turnbuckle with her arms crossed over her chest. She shot Mandy Rose an unimpressed look. She didn't care what the blonde model was saying or that she wanted to drop her. Casey was here for a victory. The ref turned with a direct nod to her.

Casey pushed off the turnbuckle and slid her jacket off. She tossed it out under the bottom rope. She glanced at Deville.

_Keep your eye on Rose. But stay aware of Deville,_ she reminded herself.

Casey watched Mandy closely. She knew the second the bell rang. She saw the change in her opponent's face. She shot out of her corner, but instead of grappling, she changed into a running slide. She took Mandy's feet out from under her, forcing her to fall face first.

"_Casey Malloy with a baseball slide just swept Mandy Rose off her feet!_"

"_The Angel of the Shadows is alive and well on Smackdown Live!_"

Casey swept around and up to her feet. Mandy, clutching her mouth, glared at her before releasing a battle cry. They caught each other at the shoulders, swinging back and forth until Mandy had her backed into a corner. Casey's head was jerked upwards while Mandy pushed under her chin. Mandy finally backed off at the ref's count yet not before slapping her hard in the face.

Casey's face burned. Mandy smirked at her. Casey brewed a quick plan in her head. When Mandy approached, Casey gave her a sharp kick to the stomach. With Mandy bent over forward, Casey rolled over her back. When Mandy turned around ready for blood, she was dumbfounded.

Casey was on her back with her legs crossed, head tucked into her chest, and one arm wrapped around her ankle. She was effectively rolled into a ball. Her free arm was extended up towards Mandy. The confused blond glanced around before taking the offered hand. Casey seized her opportunity by suddenly rolling forward, throwing Mandy down, and catching Mandy in an arm lock.

"_Oh my god! It's the Lady of the lake! Mandy didn't know what hit her!_"

Dean whistled low. He personally had never seen the move used. He smirked as Mandy tapped out on the arm lock before Deville could intervene. Casey rolled out of the ring before Deville could jump in and go at her. Casey scooped up her jacket, pulling it on as she walked back up the ramp.

_That bag of tricks of hers is bigger than I thought, _Dean thought.

Once behind the scenes, the interpreter met up with Casey. They were walking back to the locker room when they ran into the woman from last week. Now that Casey wasn't seeing a full line of red, she recognized the woman as Zelina Vega. She had a nasty look on her face which Casey knew spelled trouble. Sure enough, as soon as she unloaded, the interpreter was not signing nice things.

"…and how _dare_ you?! _I_ am Zelina Vega and no one treats me like that. You are _below_ me. You are below Smackdown Live, Raw, _and_ NXT. You are nothing more than a clumsy calamity that got promoted because you played nice with the public."

Casey's heated gaze threatened to burn a hole through the other woman's face. However, she held her tongue. She jerked to the side to prevent Vega from hitting her as she stormed past. Once Vega disappeared around the corner, the interpreter dropped her professionally neutral face and signed freely to Casey.

[What a bitch! What is her problem?] the interpreter asked.

Casey shook her head.

[Ignore her. She isn't the first to have a problem with me wrestling because I'm Deaf.] Casey replied.

The interpreter grew confused, knitting her eyebrows together.

[She didn't mention anything about your deafness.]

Casey snorted. [She didn't have to. I know her type. I have met people like her all my life.]

The interpreter sighed with a nod. When they got to the locker room, Casey sent her interpreter off to grab a bite to eat for herself. Casey wasn't hungry just yet, plus she had something to grab from her locker. She swept past Naomi and Asuka to reach her locker. She pulled down her backpack, checked to ensure the contents were still there, and left with the slam of her locker.

It was easy to find the person she was looking for. The Miz was talking to one of the stagehands about something. It was easy enough to wait until he was done and turned towards her. He had been raising his sunglasses to his face but stopped and lowered them instead.

"What?" he asked.

With a smile, Casey reached into her bag and pulled out a small, brightly colored package wrapped with a bow. The Miz stared at the gift, stared at Casey, then stared back at the gift.

"This…is for me? For my birthday?" The Miz asked.

Casey nodded. The Miz set his sunglasses away and gently took the gift from her. He clearly looked at a loss for words. He tore everything away to reveal a box. When he lifted the box open, he found a keychain. It was special, square-shaped keychain that could store digital photos.

"I can put photos of my family on here. My wife and Monroe Sky," The Miz said.

Casey nodded. Everyone's birthdays were public knowledge. She tried to pick out something nice for each wrestler for their birthday. The Miz reached out and squeezed her shoulder before walking away.

Casey shrugged. That was probably the closest she would get to a thank you from him. She smiled as she watched him walk away. The genuine smile on his face was thanks enough, anyway.

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

It was several weeks later when Casey received her first match on Raw. The two brands were still determining placement of their NXT stars. Nikki Cross, EC3, and Heavy Machinery were already secured for Smackdown. Raw was still making bids for their potential choices.

Casey thought about it as she slipped on her gloves. Both brands were great. Each had their strengths and weaknesses. If she came to Smackdown, she would have to deal with Vega and her bitchy attitude. If she came to Raw, she would _not_ have to deal with the bitch and would see Dean Ambrose more often.

She smiled. He had become a great workout buddy. They often randomly met at the gym. Sometimes they would grab breakfast after, sometimes they wouldn't. She had yet to see the other two-thirds of The Shield at the gym when Ambrose was there, but it didn't bother her.

She stepped out of the locker room and walked to the behind the scenes where her interpreter awaited her. Casey stared through the curtain with a concerned look on her face. Tonight was a harder match. She had the Riott Squad to deal with. Her opponent was Liv Morgan, one of the more weirder female wrestlers on the Raw roster.

While she had been able to get a pin on Mandy Rose without Sonya Deville interference, she doubted she could keep it that way with the Riott Squad. The interpreter shot her the cue that her music was starting. Casey threw her hood up, put her game face on, and strolled out.

The match ended up going about as well as she could have hoped. Casey and Liv exchanged several blows, throws, and pins. Casey managed to cinch the Black Widow in, but that's when the match went all to Hell. Sarah Logan jumped up to the ropes, effectively drawing the attention of the ref away from them. With the ref's eyes off them, Casey got the surprise of a lifetime in the form of a super kick to the head from Ruby.

Casey was pinned only a few seconds later. She despised seeing the smug looks on the Riott Squad's faces. She was still miffed later when she was sitting alone backstage. Casey sat in a small corner with a bottle of water and her phone.

**Zachary**

[Watched your match. That kick looked painful.]

**Casey**

[My head feels like the inside of a blender.]

**Zachary**

[That doesn't sound good.]

**Casey**

[What gave you that impression? ;)]

Casey looked up when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She was pleased to see it was Ambrose. Casey held up a finger and he nodded in reply.

**Casey**

[I'll talk at ya later, k?]

**Zachary**

[Okay!]

Casey switched her phone over to her text messaging. She had figured out a good way to have a conversation back and forth was to actually open a text message. When it was the other person's turn, she turned on the speaker that allowed speech to text.

"Hey, I'm sorry about how your match ended," Dean said.

Casey shrugged it off. She reached out and tapped at the tag team belt around his waist. He threw her his usual playful smile.

[Got a match tonight?]

After reading the text and watching her sign, Dean nodded his head.

"Yeah, it's not really anything. Just a match with McIntyre and Lashley. 's not a title match. Rush will probably be there too," Dean said.

Casey smirked as she typed out her response. She handed the phone to him and then signed the message to him. He actually seemed to be catching some of the signs now.

[Need any help?]

Dean chuckled as he handed the phone back.

"Nah. I'm good. But I'll call ya if I do."

Casey quirked an eyebrow at him gesturing with a phone up to his ear. He winced.

"Forget I said that. I'll _text_ you," Dean added.

Casey gave him the okay gesture. He slapped her gently on the shoulder before wandering off to join his brothers. She smiled. Somehow, she felt a little better now.

/…/

She was watching a video message from little Maggie when the email came. The captions were on, allowing her to understand the little child better. Maggie showed her signs she learned from her friend, a picture she had drawn of them together, and her new stuffed animal. Casey was drawn out of her thoughts when a bright white flash emitted from her phone.

The email was a list of WWE Superstars assigned to be at an autograph signing or visiting the children's hospital the next state over. Casey's name was on the list for the children's hospital. She was pleased a second email from Shane was right behind it. He explained there would be an interpreter there for her. The email also mentioned there were several hearing impaired patients or siblings of hearing impaired children at the hospital.

She grinned. She loved the opportunity to meet children like her. She glanced over the list for the children's hospital. They had chosen a good group of people. She saw The New Day, Sasha Banks, John Cena, The Shield, and Natalya. She had just closed out the email when a text message flashed across the top of her screen.

**Dean Ambrose**

[Hey! Just saw the email! Guess I'll be seeing ya at the hospital.]

**Casey**

[Yea. Shane said there's some deaf kids there. I'm excited.]

**Dean Ambrose**

[Awesome! I bet the kids'll like meeting you.]

Casey smiled. She hoped so. She never knew what to expect when meeting kids with hearing loss. She imagined they weren't all deaf as hearing loss varied for everyone. The next morning, Casey departed early for the road. She beat out of town before rush hour, allowing her to flow smoothly down the roads towards the hospital. Casey parked where the WWE Superstars had been directed to park.

When she arrived, the interpreter approached her in the lobby. He showed her where some of the others were waiting. She found Stephanie, Shane, Sasha, Natalya, and John Cena in a private waiting area. Sasha and Natalya shot glances her way, but didn't call a greeting to her or gesture her over to visit. Shane waved to her before continuing his discussion with his sister.

Casey was pleasantly surprised when John Cena walked up and introduced himself. His hand made hers feel so small in his handshake. Casey was momentarily speechless before collecting herself.

[It's nice to meet you too] Casey said.

"Did you have a good drive?" John asked.

Casey shrugged.

[It was okay. Light traffic until I got into town] she replied.

John nodded with a big grin that spread from ear to ear.

"Same here. Hey, I heard someone in your family served in the military."

Casey's smile lit up the whole room. They could probably see that smile from the surface of the moon.

[My father. He was a Marine.]

She was happy to tell John all about her father. It was clear to John as he watched her sign and the interpreter translate that Casey was very close with her father. He was devastated when she revealed he had died when she was twelve.

"I'm sorry to hear that. He sounds like he was a wonderful man," John commented.

[He was.]

Soon enough, everyone had arrived. Stephanie and Shane got everyone's attention while Casey's interpreter moved where she could see him and the two siblings. She glanced across the room where she saw The Shield gathered together. Dean hung back behind his brethren and made a face at her. She rolled her eyes before making a face of her own. Then she returned her attention to the front.

Stephanie explained they would all be scattered about the different floors. The only floor they wouldn't be on contained the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). They would interact until Noon where everyone would meet downstairs for a big lunch in the cafeteria with some of the kids and families. Each group had a hospital volunteer that would lead them to where their kids were.

Casey was pleased she was on the same floor as John. They talked on the way up. When they arrived at their floor, the volunteer pointed out a couple of rooms for John. He gave Casey a hug and told her he'd see her later. The volunteer led Casey to a room where a small girl sat by the window. Her parents sat nearby, quietly conversing.

The girl was the first to spot her when she stepped in the room. The girl's hands flew up, flying about excitedly as she turned her wheelchair around. Casey closed a fist and nodded with it.

[Yes, yes. I am. What's your name?] Casey asked.

The interpreter voice interpreted for Casey in the background for the parents to understand.

[B-e-l-l-a. I'm 9. You wrestle on N-X-T?] the little girl said.

Casey nodded with a big grin.

[I did. On R-a-w and S-m-a-c-k-d-o-w-n too] Casey told her.

In a whirlwind of excitement, Casey spent a better half of the morning visiting children with and without hearing impairments. The good news was they all recognized her. In one room, the child was hearing, but her older brother had Cochlear Implants.

She spent a good deal of time with them. She colored with the young patient and spoke with the brother. The press came by to take a few photos before quietly leaving. By the time lunch rolled around, she was starving. A few of the children that were able to come down accompanied her and Cena downstairs.

Dean was already eating when the last two wrestlers arrived. The group had tables pushed together to create a long banquet of people. He lost sight of Casey in his conversation with Roman, but when he next glanced up, she was slipping out of the room with her interpreter. Worried, Dean quietly excused himself and followed suit.

When he stepped out into the hall, he found an older woman squaring up to Casey. The interpreter stood to the side between Casey and the woman. A man, possibly her husband, stood in the background squeezing his hands together. Dean stepped closer to hear what the woman was saying.

"-my son told me?! He wants to sign! He got his implants early on and they told us he had to use his speech. And _now_…_**now**_ he wants to sign! You came here and messes everything up?!" the woman said, her voice rising in volume.

Dean's body tensed. The woman said a few unsavory things while her husband failed to deter her. Dean stepped forward, ready to tell her a few things of his own. Except Casey's hand flew up, halting the woman's speech and Dean's steps. When Casey opened her mouth, Dean was surprised to hear her speak for the first time.

Her voice sounded off to his ears. It reminded him a little of how he sounded when he had a head cold. It was off key and the tone changed here and there. Casey signed as she spoke.

"Your son is very bright and he cares for his sister. He told me how sick she is and how worried he has been. But he also told me how hard _his_ life is. He doesn't know if he is hearing or deaf. He has a classmate who is Deaf, who signs, whose parents are Deaf and sign. He cannot talk to him without his interpreter."

Dean was stunned. He knew very little about deaf and hard of hearing people. He was curious what implants were. The lunatic fringe made a mental note to look it up later. The woman looked stunned, even talking a small step back from Casey. Except Casey took a step forward as she spoke.

"Kade told me he does not have many friends. He asked me how it felt to be Deaf and how I made the choices I have made. I told him my father encouraged my signing, but my mother forced me to lip-read and speak. I don't talk to my mother. She wanted me to be hearing but didn't bother to _listen_ to me."

The woman's bottom lip started quivering.

"I taught Kade some signs and I told him resources to help him learn ASL. But I also encouraged him to speak with you and his dad. His sister is important and so is he. Help him discover who he is, who he wants to become."

The wife stepped back again, but the husband stepped forward. Casey's body tensed, ready to lash out if needed. Except she didn't need to. He reached out and caught her hands, squeezing them tightly.

"Thank you. We knew something was bothering him. I'm glad he talked to someone. _**Thank you**_."

With a small smile, Dean turned and left to rejoin the others. He later rode to the hotel for the evening with Casey. He had told Roman and Seth he got a ride with someone else. They had shrugged it off, telling him they'd see him at the hotel.

The two rode in silence for a while until Casey stopped for them to grab a bite to eat. They bought some tacos and sat in a corner near the windows. Dean reached out across the table to wave his hand up and down, gaining Casey's attention.

"I saw you. With that family. You had it hard growing up, huh?" Dean asked.

Casey nodded. She surprised him again by speaking and signing with one hand.

"So you heard me talk. I don't talk much in front of others. I know my voice doesn't sound good," Casey said.

Dean shook his head.

"It sounds _different_. We all sound different. There's nothing wrong with it. _I_ can understand you," Dean told her.

Casey flashed him a smile.

"That's very kind of you. Maybe I will use it more with you. Would that be okay?" Casey asked.

Dean nodded.

"More than okay."

Later, Ambrose slept soundly through the night. Seth woke once to check on his friend. He wasn't sure what had changed, but if it meant Ambrose could sleep through the night, then he welcomed the change.

If only he knew how much he would be welcoming the change himself.

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

Seth stood in the back waiting for his music to don. He glanced down at the white belt wrapped securely around his waist. He was due to defend the Intercontinental Title against Lashley tonight. He expected his brothers to come out with him so as to keep Rush out of the equation.

However, they were nowhere to be seen. That unnerved him, but he had no choice but to go out alone as his music cued.

"_Introducing the Intercontinental Champion and one half of the Raw Tag Team Champions, Seth Rollins!_"

**BURN IT DOWN! BURN IT DOWN!**

Seth grinned as he unlatched his belt and handed it to the ref. Lashley was stretching in the corner facing away from him. Leo Rush was bouncing around in the background outside the ring. Seth ignored him in favor of focusing on "The Almighty."

The match started off easy. For a while there, he had the advantage on Lashley. Halfway through the match, the tables turned and Seth started slipping downhill. He hit the outside hard yet was able to slide back in before the ten count. When he caught an opening, Seth jumped up to the top rope to attempt the Phoenix Splash. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rush leap up.

"_Leo Rush up on the apron!_"

Suddenly, from seemingly out of nowhere, Casey rushed out and swept Rush off his feet with a quick yank of his ankles. The short wrestler landed hard, his face catching on the apron on the way down.

"_Oh my god, it's Casey Malloy! Malloy is here at ringside!_"

With Lashley still down and disoriented, Seth seized the opportunity and landed the Phoenix Splash perfectly. He pinned Lashley easily.

"1…2…3!"

He flew to his feet, shooting Casey a confused look through the ropes. She strolled around the ring with her hands in her jacket pockets. She shrugged her shoulders to him before moving up the entrance ramp. The fans were torn between chanting Casey's name with the C-Y signing and yelling burn it down.

"_Casey Malloy just helped Seth Rollins retain his Intercontinental Championship! She has no business being out here!_"

"_You're just being sour, Graves. Malloy didn't interfere in the match. She stopped Leo Rush from interfering._"

Once in the back, Seth sought out the other two thirds of The Shield. He found them with the medical team looking them over.

"What happened? I just had Malloy run interference with Rush," Seth demanded.

Roman shot him a sour look. Dean would have too except his eyes were being looked at with a flashlight.

"We got jumped by Lashley and Rush," Roman growled.

Dean shoved the medic away with a grunt.

"With some help from McIntyre and Corbin. Casey found us. I told her what happened and then she ran off," Dean confessed.

Seth ran a hand downwards over his mouth. A big grin swept over his face.

"She came out of _nowhere_, man! I'd swear to you she melted right outta the shadows," Seth told them.

Dean chuckled as he jumped to his feet.

"Dude, she ain't called the Angel of the Shadows for nothing," Dean pointed out.

Seth and Roman shared a look. Dean shot them a confused look when they turned back to him.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Dude, Ambrose…are you and Malloy…?" Roman asked.

Dean quickly cut in.

"Yeah. Yeah, me and her are _pals_. She's been helping me sort through some things," Dean said.

Seth raised an eyebrow.

"Is she the reason you been sleeping better?" Seth asked.

Dean sighed.

"Yeah. I mean, she and I work out at the gym. Sometimes we catch somethin' to eat. We talk." Shrug. "She's good company."

Seth slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. Hey, you think she'd catch dinner with us? I wanna pay her back for tonight," Seth said.

Dean flashed him a grin.

"Sure. I'll go ask. Let me see if she's still here."

It didn't take long for the lunatic fringe to find his friend. She was deep in an argument with Leo Rush.

"Bobby Lashley would be the new Champ if it wasn't for _you_!" Rush yelled in her face.

Casey must have caught at least the important pieces of what Rush said. She had a few choice words to throw back at him. The interpreter, standing nearby, put her sharp hand movements to words.

[Seth Rollins is still Champ because _you_ weren't quick enough, you toad-faced gremlin! I stopped you, not Lashley! So back off before I…]

Dean scrunched up his face. Was it even physically possible to do that? He decided to step in before things got worse. He slid into view beside Casey.

"Buzz off, Rush," Dean said.

Rush glared at him before jerking around and sweeping away. Dean rolled his eyes before touching Casey's shoulder. She turned to face him. The interpreter stepped over but Casey shooed her away. Casey smiled when Dean brought his hands up and spoke as he signed what words he did know.

"**You****and me**…**you** want to **go eat**? **Seth Rollins** and **Roman Reigns** too," Dean asked.

As he signed, Dean used the name signs[1] Casey had assigned for his brothers. Seth was a S handshape starting facedown at the shoulder. The movement went out in a half circle from there to just above the inside elbow, changing from S to R handshape. Roman was a R handshape at the top of the head that came out and downwards.

Casey had explained the name signs to him when she had assigned them. Seth's was the same as the sign for energy. Casey explained when she thought of Seth, she thought of unbridled energy. Roman was like the sign for believe, an explanation Ambrose didn't need.

"Yes. I would like that. Where?" Casey asked.

Dean grinned, shaking his head.

"**I don't know. I'll go** find 'em and **text you** the address. **Okay**?" Dean asked.

Casey nodded. The young woman was back in the locker room grabbing her bag when her phone went off. She ignored the looks from the other stragglers in the room while leaving the room. On her way out, she passed Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss. Braun slapped her on the back while Alexa looked confused.

The guys had chosen a local diner for the evening. Because of the late visit, there weren't many people around. Seth and Roman knew the second Dean spotted Casey. He lit up and pushed up out of his seat. He greeted her with a clasp of hands and bringing her in for a hug with a pat to her back. They stood up and each shook a hand with her.

It seemed Seth was the only odd man out. Roman had met her briefly when she first came on the scene so he was a semi-familiar face. Dean had connected with her and somehow built a strong relationship in a short amount of time. The waitress came by and asked for drink orders. They were surprised again when Casey spoke while signing.

"Can I have a Coke, please?" Casey asked.

If the waitress was surprised by the sound of Casey's voice, she didn't show it. She wrote it down and took the guys orders. After she parted, Roman tapped the back of his hand against Casey's arm. She set her phone standing up and opened the text to speech. Then she turned to him.

"Have they decided which brand you're going to yet?" Roman asked.

Casey watched him then looked at the text.

"I haven't heard yet but I should be getting an email soon," Casey said.

Roman nodded with a knowing look. The wait was the worst. Casey turned her head when Seth got her attention.

"I wanted to thank you for your help tonight. You didn't have to do that," Seth told her.

Casey gave a playful roll of her eyes.

"Dean is a friend. You're Dean's friend. I would help you again. And I would help Roman, too," Casey said.

Roman clapped her on the shoulder and squeezed gently. The food arrived, allowing for a small lull in the conversation. They talked about a few things. It gave Roman and Seth a chance to learn a little about Casey and visa versa. Somehow, when Seth wasn't looking, Casey paid for dinner.

"I'm gonna get her next time," Seth told Ambrose later that night.

Dean chuckled.

"Let me know how that works out. The only time I've done it…I snuck her wallet away when she wasn' lookin.' She chased me around the parkin' lot after," Dean confessed with a wink.

Seth laughed so hard he broke out in hiccups.

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

[1] A name sign is a shortened version of a name and it usually is a symbol of a personality trait or physical trait. For example, Casey Malloy might be a C handshape and the movement curling down from the side of her face to symbolize her braid.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Five matches and a pay-per-view later, Casey was signed to the Raw brand. The Shield treated her to dinner that night. As she became acclimated to the new brand, Casey found herself spending more time with the members of The Shield. She found she had a few things in common with Reigns and Rollins.

Roman liked to play Chess. Dean wasn't very good at it and Seth didn't like to play. Casey was quite good. Several of their games lasted long. With Seth, they had the same taste in movies. They especially enjoyed catching a billiards game and discussing movies. Both men even started picking up on some signs.

She continued the birthday wishes with the other wrestlers. She'd leave cards for the women in their lockers. The guys she'd pass on something through one of the brothers who put it in their lockers. Only a few people knew it was her that left them as she never left them signed. She had never seen Xavier Woods so excited when she gave him a gift card for Game Stop.

Her matches were random right now. They were trying to work her into a good storyline. It was frustrating to watch "The Goddess" strutting around with the Raw Women's Championship. It was equally frustrating that the only belts for the women's division was each brand's Women's Championship. The guys had the United State title, the Intercontinental title, both Tag Team titles, the Universal title, and _the_ WWE World Heavyweight Championship title.

Casey was in the locker room when she got a text from Dean.

**Dean**

[Hey! Seth wants to talk to you.]

Casey stashed her stuff in her locker after sending a quick reply to Dean. She met Seth out in the hallway with her interpreter. The nicest thing about The Shield members is they did their homework. They all knew to talk to her directly while speaking clearly for the interpreter.

"I got a title match tonight against Bobby Lashley again. I know Lio Rush is going to be in his corner. I want you in mine," Seth said.

Casey had to fight hard to keep her jaw from dropping. She told the interpreter not to voice for her as she spoke.

"Are you sure you don't want Roman or Dean?" Casey asked.

Seth nodded.

"No, I want _you_, Casey. I know you'll keep an eye on Rush. Far as I'm concerned, you're just as good as Reigns and Ambrose. You could turn the whole women's division on its head," Seth told her.

Casey nodded firmly. She agreed to it. Seth told her when the match was due and she ran to get ready. As she was finishing up, her behavior didn't go unnoticed by Mickie James and Alexa Bliss.

"What do you suppose _she's_ getting ready for? She doesn't have a match tonight," Mickie sneered.

Alexa waved it off.

"She's a nobody," Alexa commented.

Soon, Casey was standing beside Seth waiting for their music to cue. His went first and then she was cued to walk out. Unlike her normal entrance, she came out with her hood down.

"_Accompanied by Casey Malloy, your Intercontinental Champion, one half of the Raw Tag Team Champions, and a member of The Shield, SETH ROLLINS!_"

Seth knew he had made the right choice when he saw how amped up the crowd was. He also loved how pissed off Lashley and Rush looked with Casey by his side. When they rolled up into the ring, Casey faced off against Rush with Rush yelling all sorts of things. Casey didn't understand all of it, but figured it was along the lines of how she didn't belong.

The match started off well. Casey's gaze darted between the match and Rush. She kept a careful eye on the short wrestler. If she had anything to say about it, Rush wouldn't interfere in this match, either. They fell out of the ring a few times.

The first time, it was near Casey and Lashley made a point of pointing her out and saying something. The second time, they were over near Rush and Rush thought about getting close but Casey made her presence known which caused him to back off. Casey pounded the apron, urging Seth on. She turned around and threw her arms up encouraging the crowd.

"_BURN IT DOWN! BURN IT DOWN! BURN IT DOWN!_"

"_Look at that! Casey Malloy is urging the WWE Universe on and they delivered!_"

"_Casey Malloy has no business being out here! If things start to get ugly, she could crushed under the strength of The Almighty! Seth Rollins should be ashamed of himself!_"

"_Oh come on, Graves! Casey is clearly out here to support Seth Rollins and make sure Lio Rush doesn't interfere in the match!_"

"_Do you see Lio Rush interfering? No! Lio Rush is a professional and as such…_"

Casey's opportunity came when the referee got knocked down and both wrestlers were weak on their legs. Rush darted in under the bottom rope and tried for a super kick, but Casey caught him with a spear. She shoved him out of the ring and rolled out after him. She missed the ending of the match, but a quick glance at the ring confirmed what she felt.

With a big grin on her face, Casey went over and accepted the Intercontinental Title for Seth. She rolled into the ring and held it out to him in offer. With his own grin splitting from ear to ear, Seth accepted it and pulled her into a hug with a few pats to the back. When they separated, he held up the belt and Casey's arm. Despite her not being involved _in_ the match, she saw many fans signing C and Y.

Once backstage, Seth hugged her close to his side again. They parted ways temporarily but caught back up after Raw ended. They were carpooling together to the next hotel stay. Roman and Seth sat in back while Ambrose grabbed shotgun.

Shortly after they left, Casey told them she was stopping by a Starbucks for a drink. Ambrose found some paper and wrote down everyone's orders. When they pulled up to the drive thru window, the guys got the surprise of their life.

"_Hello! Welcome to Starbucks! What can I get you today?_"

"I'm Deaf!"

"_Just a minute!_"

A few seconds later, a small screen popped up and a Starbucks employee appeared. The guys were astonished when Casey started signing to the guy and he signed back. When they pulled forward, Casey paid with her card and handed them each back their drink. Unbeknownst to her, the trio had pooled their cash together and hid it in the glove box for her to discover later.

/…/

It wasn't long before Casey playing defense against Lio Rush would come back to bite her in the ass. She was in a grueling match with Mickie James when Lio Rush suddenly appeared up on the apron, distracting the referee. It allowed Mickie James to shove a thumb in her eye and overtake her in the match. She glared at the laughing grin on Rush's face as Mickie's arm was raised.

_This isn't over, you asshole,_ she thought.

She was never happier to ride home with The Shield. Dean drove with Seth up front while she rode in back with Roman. She was, however, pissed off even more when she discovered her hotel reservation was lost. Her anger washed away when Dean offered to have her bunk with him.

"I got a double bed and Seth is rooming with Roman tonight," Dean offered.

She sighed but gave him a pointed look. As if to read her mind, Dean brought his hand up. With his fingers all resting on top of his thumb and facing towards his nose, Dean brought it up in front of his nose. He moved his hand out and away from the face, opening his hand up all the way with the movement.

[Don't care.]

She smiled as he looped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. He led the way to the elevator with his bag slung over his shoulder. If Dean didn't care about the whispers of the other (female) wrestlers, then neither did she. It was later while playing cards that Casey touched on a subject Dean hadn't broken with her before.

"How is Renee?" Casey asked.

Dean shook his head.

"I don't know."

Casey frowned.

"You're married, I thought," she said.

Dean nodded.

"We're…we been takin' a break." Sigh. "Been thinkin' 'bout a divorce."

Casey's eyes grew wide. Ambrose, realizing what he said, dropped his cards. He held his hands up in front of him.

"I…I didn't say that. I _didn't._"

Casey dropped her own cards and held her hand up to stop him.

"It's okay. I understand. I won't say anything. Do Roman and Seth know?"

Dean nodded.

"I can keep a secret too. We're friends right?" Casey asked, holding her hand up sideways.

Dean chuckled while reaching up and grasping her hand.

"You know it."

That night, while Dean slept soundly, Casey sat up in her bed with her phone

**Zachary**

[So you're friends with The Shield now?]

**Casey**

[I'm friends with everyone. Well, the guys at least. Women still avoid me like the plague.]

**Zachary**

[LOL So same old song as usual.]

Casey sent an eomji of a person rolling their eyes.

**Zachary**

[I'm sure it'll get better with time.]

**Casey**

[I'm sure it will too. I'm part of a triple threat match Monday.]

**Zachary**

[Really?! Who with?]

Casey smiled.

**Casey**

[Naomi and Alexa.]

**Zachary**

[Cool beans! Super excited for you!]

**Casey**

[Thanks!]

**Casey**

[…]

Casey quietly tapped her leg before typing out her text.

**Casey**

[How's Mom and Dirk?]

**Zachary**

[…]

[They're okay. Out on date night tonight. Mom wore a new dress.]

Casey rolled her eyes. Of course, she had _another_ new dress. There was always another dress or another piece of jewelry or new shoes.

**Casey**

[Good. You doing well in school?]

**Zachary**

[:) A's and B's.]

**Casey**

[Great job, buddy! Proud of you.]

**Zachary**

[Thanks, Big Sis. Miss you.]

**Casey**

[Miss you too. Stay out of trouble.]

**Zachary**

[Me? Trouble? Never.]

Casey quietly chuckled.

**Casey**

[Good night, Zac.]

**Zachary**

[Good night, Casey.]

Casey plugged her phone and laid down. She pulled the covers up to her chest and curled up on her side facing away from Ambrose.

**END OF CHAPTER SEVEN**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I haven't been inspired much lately and Writer's Block is just the worst bitch ever. Hope you enjoy this newest chapter.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

The next morning, a bunch of the wrestlers were downstairs enjoying breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Oddly enough, the topic of choice was the quartet sitting in the center of the restaurant.

"Looks like the Angel got herself some new friends."

"Good for her! They'll show her the ropes around here."

"And if not, we'll extend a hand ourselves. And why?"

"Because we're the…"

"_New_ _Day_!"

"I don't see what's so special about her. She's got that whole girl next door working against her."

"Don't worry about her. _You're _the Women's Champion."

"You ever talk to the new girl?"

"Nah. She doesn't spend a lot of time around the locker room. Spends more time around the guys. Around _them._"

Shrug. "Maybe she's boy crazy."

"I'm done."

Casey smiled. She held her open hands up facing her. She moved the hands outward, flipped them, and flicked out to the outer sides. The Shield members smiled.

"Coffee," Roman challenged.

Casey brought up two closed fists. She put her right hand on top of her left. She moved her right fist in a counterclockwise circle like she was mixing something.

"Wrestling," Seth said.

Casey interlocked her fingers in front of her while keeping her fingers sticking out straight. She moved them up and down in front of her in a kind of half circle. Dean shook his head.

"There ain't a sign for everything, but Casey sure knows a lot of words," Dean commented.

Roman and Seth agreed. They asked a few more words and tried to repeat some of the signs for themselves. Dean helped Casey with correcting some of their signing. They continued this activity until their breakfast arrived. They ate with a few comments thrown around. The guys made sure to not have a mouthful of food when they spoke directly to Casey.

Casey tried to slip the bill, but Seth somehow snuck it past her. She shot him an astonished look. He shot her a thumbs up.

"Got ya, Shadow."

She smirked. The game was on then. Truthfully, she didn't mind him playing since she knew he was still feeling down about the recent loss of the Intercontinental Title to The Miz.

After they finished, they headed to the gym. Casey spent time working one on one with the trainer with her interpreter lurking nearby. The Shield members worked on a few things. A few times when she took a water break, Casey would glance over and see them huddled.

_Now what could those three be plotting,_ she pondered.

When she asked Ambrose alone later, he was not so subtle in changing the subject each time. Rather than press him for answers, Casey left him to his secrets. If The Shield wanted to share what they were discussing, then they would do so. Until then it was a normal week in WWE.

Casey tried to remain calm, but as Monday night RAW drew closer, she grew more nervous. Sunday night came, the night before her triple threat match, and Dean was dragging her off to somewhere.

"Where are we going?" Casey asked.

"You'll see," Dean promised.

Casey glared. She had never been a huge fan of surprises being sprung on her. However, she was blown away when Dean pulled them into the parking lot of Dave and Buster's.

"I _own_ the championship title for Mario Kart," Dean bragged.

Casey smirked. "Until now."

After hitting Dean from behind with a pie and solidifying her victory with Baby Peach, Casey wandered from game to game. They spent the afternoon playing games and earning tickets. They even took photos with a few fans. Thankfully, most people recognized them but let them be. It was the perfect kind of afternoon to put her at ease.

When it came time to step out to her music the next evening, all three males were there to give her a fist bump and wish her luck. The cheers echoed through the arena. Casey kept her eyes on Alexa and Mickie. She didn't trust either one of them. She was hoping she might be able to rely on Naomi as an ally rather than an enemy.

Naomi didn't disappoint. After the bell rang, Alexa went straight for Casey. She threw punches and backed her into a corner. Naomi jumped on her back and knocked her back. The trio traded blows back and forth, trying pin after pin. At some point, the three were staggering on their feet. That's when Naomi and Casey traded a look.

On the outside, Mickie grew worried and tried to shout a warning to Alexa. However, Naomi and Casey had already struck. They caught her with trading kicks on her. They managed to get the upper-hand on Alexa until Naomi tried a roll up on Casey.

Forcing her body upwards, Casey managed to kick out before the three count. She rolled to her feet and shot Naomi a look. The brightly colored clad woman shrugged her shoulders. Casey accepted that and burst forward to lock arms at their shoulder level.

From there on, it was pure chaos once again. At some point, Casey found herself rolling out of the ring under the bottom rope. With the ref distracted on the inside with Naomi and Alexa, Mickie chose that moment to strike. She moved to twirl around and catch Casey in the head with a high kick.

Except Casey anticipated the move. She ducked and speared Mickie James hard. With Mickie groaning on the ground, Casey slid back into the ring and broke up Alexa's pin. The blonde grabbed a hold of her hair, shook her, and threw her across the ring. It proved bad when Alexa got ahead and piled Casey on top of Naomi.

She hit the Twisted Bliss, knocking the breath out of the two wrestlers. Casey rolled away but remained nearby. Alexa jumped on Naomi and pinned her. Casey felt the first slap on the mat, saw the second, and barely dove at Alexa in time to beat out the three count. Alexa threw a fit, throwing herself down while kicking her arms and legs.

Casey rolled to her feet in time for an irate Alexa to launch at her. Casey caught her, hooked her arms, and stopped her. She hit the Double-Arm DDT and immediately flopped into a pin.

"ONE…TWO…THREE! Ring the bell, ring the bell!"

**Ding, ding, ding.**

The whole arena exploded as Casey climbed to her feet. She was relieved and surprised as the referee lifted her arm up.

"_Casey Malloy just won with Dean Ambrose's signature move Dirty Deeds!_"

"_No, she didn't. That was a Double-Arm DDT. Get your moves right!_"

As the two announcers argued back and forth, Renee narrowed her gaze on the winning wrestler. She stood up on the top and raised her arms up as the crowd chanted with their hands forming C-Y. The move _was_ Dirty Deeds. It looked too much like it to be anything else. Plus it didn't help she had heard rumors of Malloy's closeness with Ambrose.

Casey jumped down and rolled out of the ring. She started walking away after retrieving her jacket. She was halfway up the ramp when a Deaf[1] person shoved their way to the side and started signing. She paused long enough to read what she signed before whipping around.

Naomi was curled up on the ground getting kicked by Alexa and Mickie. Casey dropped her jacket and bolted back to the ring. She slid under the bottom rope and brought a kick hard down on the side of Mickie's leg. She staggered sideways while Casey swung around with a kick with Alexa's name on it. She ducked and rolled under the bottom ring.

Both women disappeared to the side with Alexa clutching her title belt. Casey jumped up on the rope with one leg raised higher than the other. She held out one hand with the daring come at me gesture. Casey's music cued again, sending more Casey chants up in the air. Naomi slowly climbed to her feet before taking a similar stance to Casey's.

Casey made sure Naomi was okay when they got to the back before parting ways. She met up with Roman back in catering. They watched together as Seth and Dean defended their tag team titles against The Ascension. It ended predictably with the titles not exchanging hands.

They parted ways with a plan for Casey to catch up with The Shield to return to the hotel. Casey was walking down the hall when she spotted one of the televisions still playing the live feed. She came to a sudden stop when she realized what she was watching.

The Shield were trying to fend off Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Lio Rush. They weren't doing well with Seth down and the other two members were being ganged up two on one.

"_The Shield is in trouble. Seth Rollins is down, and Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose don't stand a chance!_"

"_The Shield shouldn't be-!_"

Suddenly, Graves was cut off with the sudden roar of the crowd. With a chair in hand, Casey ran out from the back with a chair in hand and ran full steam down the ramp. She threw the chair under the bottom rope, sliding almost immediately right on top of it. Luckily, her first target was in the corner closest to her.

Casey took a huge swing and smashed the chair against Lio Rush's back. He spasmed and dropped to the ground, rolling out under the bottom rope to avoid another hit. Baron Corbin turned in time to get a chair to the ribs and the back. He too rolled under the rope to avoid a third swing of the chair.

Dean Ambrose shot up to his feet, nodded to Casey, and dashed to Roman's aid. Between an enraged Ambrose, a revived Rollins, and a chair-wielding Casey, they were able to turn the tables on Lashley and McIntyre. Lashley ended up on receiving end of a Superman Punch and a Dirty Deeds. McIntyre received a few chair hits and a curb stomp.

By the end, the four stood strong in the ring. Somehow, Lio Rush got a hold of a mic. Luckily, the interpreter stood in the right place and distance that Casey could see what he was spewing.

"You think you're so-you think you're so tough?! Can't take care of things yourselves, boys?! Not the like Great Bobby Lashley? Need to call in a woman?"

The microphone was in Casey's hand before anyone could blink. She jumped up with one leg low and the other high. It was a stance similar to Ambrose's. The crowd roar lowered as fans listened to Casey's voice for the first time.

"You think I'm afraid of you, you toad-faced troll?! I'll take you on anytime, _anywhere_! I might be a woman, but at least I'm not Lashley's footrest!"

The crowd lost their minds, easily drowning out the enraged response from Lio Rush. The last thing seen on live television was Casey doing a mic drop, stepping down from the ropes, and the Shield members patting her encouragingly on the back.

Things weren't over after that. It was a few days later that Casey found herself sitting down at the table with The Shield members, Lio Rush, Stephanie, Triple H, Shane McMahon, and Casey's interpreter. Triple H slid the paper to Casey. He waited for her to read over it and nod her head to him before speaking.

"All of the terms have been agreed upon. Casey Malloy versus Lio Rush at Extreme Rules. It'll be the perfect match to open the live event after the preshow. Stipulations are listed as no one is to be at ringside and it is to be a pin fall or submission. If Rush wins, Bobby Lashley and Baron Corbin get a Tag Team Title Match and Drew McIntyre a match for the WWE Championship."

Triple H paused.

"If Malloy wins, she will be added to the Raw Women's Championship match between Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax."

Casey knew there would be Hell to pay. Lio Rush was ready to set fire to her chair and Bliss and Jax would want to tear her apart when they heard about the deal. She knew WWE was getting behind this because of the ratings and the drama.

She glanced at the brothers. They all gave her a knowing look. She nodded before grabbing a pen and signing her name. Casey knew with the backing of her friends she could win this.

Plus she couldn't wait to nail that smug grin off Rush's face.

_You're not walking out of Extreme in one piece, _she thought.

**END OF CHAPTER EIGHT**

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. As a side note, if you get a chance, talk a look at ** **. A friend of mine started a blog. She hasn't written much yet, but she's getting there. Her goal is to write a blog post every day.**


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